Power supply apparatus and control method thereof

• US 10,749,379 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2018
• Issued: 08/18/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Okamoto, Yoshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Fureman, Jared
• Assistant Examiner(s): Barnett, Joel
• Application Number:
  US15/933,613
• Publication Number:
  US 20180287424A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/022 Recharging of batteries
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 2310/48 for electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/12 of the resonant type
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/80 involving the exchange of data, concerning supply or distribution of electric power, between transmitting devices and receiving devices
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/00034 Charger exchanging data with an electronic device, i.e. telephone, whose internal battery is under charge
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/26 using coils
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/79 for data transfer in combination with power transfer

Abstract

A power supply apparatus comprises a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner, a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and a movable power supply apparatus, and a control unit configured to, when power suppliable to the power reception apparatus does not satisfy a predetermined condition, control the movable power supply apparatus to supply power from the movable power supply apparatus to the power reception apparatus.

Claims

1. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner;

a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and a movable power supply apparatus; and

a control unit configured to, when power suppliable to the power reception apparatus does not satisfy a predetermined condition, control the movable power supply apparatus to supply power from the movable power supply apparatus to the power reception apparatus.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when power suppliable to the power reception apparatus does not satisfy a predetermined condition, the control unit transmits, to the movable power supply apparatus, a power supply request for supplying power to the power reception apparatus.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined condition is that efficiency of power supply to the power reception apparatus is equal to or lower than a predetermined value.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the predetermined condition is that a distance from the power reception apparatus is a predetermined distance or more.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

when the predetermined condition is not satisfied, the control unit transmits a travel request to the power reception apparatus via the communication unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connection unit connected to an external power source,

wherein the power supply apparatus operates under power supplied from the external power source connected via the connection unit.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a self-traveling unit configured to achieve a positional movement,

wherein when the predetermined condition is not satisfied after the self-traveling unit achieves the movement, the control unit transmits a power supply request to the movable power supply apparatus.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the power supply unit supplies power to the movable power supply apparatus.

9. A power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner;

a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and another power supply apparatus;

a self-traveling unit configured to achieve a positional movement; and

a control unit configured to perform control to, upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, achieve a movement to a position where power supply to the power reception apparatus is possible via the self-traveling unit, and supply power to the power reception apparatus.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising:

a power reception unit configured to receive power supplied from the another power supply apparatus in a non-contact manner.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a power source unit composed of a secondary battery.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a charging unit configured to charge the secondary battery using power received from the another power supply apparatus.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus, the control unit performs control so as not to achieve a movement via the self-traveling unit when a remaining capacity of the secondary battery is smaller than a predetermined capacity.

14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein

when a remaining capacity of the secondary battery is smaller than a predetermined capacity, the control unit transmits a power supply request to the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9, wherein

the control unit is capable of executing a predetermined operation other than power supply with respect to the power reception apparatus, and

upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, the control unit stops the predetermined operation, achieves a movement to a position where power supply to the power reception apparatus is possible via the self-traveling unit, and supplies power to the power reception apparatus.

16. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

the control unit acquires information related to a remaining capacity of a secondary battery of the power reception apparatus via the communication unit, and

upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, the control unit stops the predetermined operation, achieves a movement to a position where power supply to the power reception apparatus is possible via the self-traveling unit, and supplies power to the power reception apparatus when the remaining capacity of the secondary battery of the power reception apparatus is smaller than a predetermined capacity.

17. The apparatus according to claim 15, wherein

when the predetermined operation is in execution, the control unit transmits, to the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, a request for supplying power to the power reception apparatus.

18. A control method of a power supply apparatus which has a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner and a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and a movable power supply apparatus, the method comprising:

when power suppliable to the power reception apparatus does not satisfy a predetermined condition, controlling the movable power supply apparatus to supply power from the movable power supply apparatus to the power reception apparatus.

19. A control method of a power supply apparatus which has a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner, a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and another power supply apparatus, and a self-traveling unit configured to achieve a positional movement, the method comprising:

performing control to, upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, achieve a movement to a position where power supply to the power reception apparatus is possible via the self-traveling unit, and supply power to the power reception apparatus.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner;

a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and a movable power supply apparatus; and

a control unit configured to, when power suppliable to the power reception apparatus does not satisfy a predetermined condition, control the movable power supply apparatus to supply power from the movable power supply apparatus to the power reception apparatus.

21. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program for causing a computer to function as a power supply apparatus comprising:

a power supply unit configured to supply power to a power reception apparatus in a non-contact manner;

a communication unit configured to perform communication with the power reception apparatus and another power supply apparatus;

a self-traveling unit configured to achieve a positional movement; and

a control unit configured to perform control to, upon receiving a power supply request from the another power supply apparatus via the communication unit, achieve a movement to a position where power supply to the power reception apparatus is possible via the self-traveling unit, and supply power to the power reception apparatus.